


a heart in clawed hands

by quetie



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Genre: Angst, F/M, M/M, Possession, Self-Harm, au where fernand is sacrificed to duma because of his actions, fernand is sad, hoooh boy here we go, lucy if you see this im sorry, mentions of Python - Freeform, mentions of Rinea, mentions of many people in the deliverance actually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:13:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23096893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quetie/pseuds/quetie
Summary: betrayal, compassion, foolishness. all three things that clawed at his body like a hungry beast.yet could he blame himself..?~in this au, fernand betrays his lord...and he pays the price.
Relationships: Berkut/Fernand (Fire Emblem), Berkut/Rinea (Fire Emblem), Clerbe | Clive/Fernand, Duma/Fernand (Fire Emblem)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

_"are you sure it will be okay?"_

_"you said he would be gone for a month. on a trip to the neighboring continent?"  
  
"y-yes, but.."  
  
"then it will be fine. come now, we have much to discuss.."  
  
_

* * *

...where was he?  
  
fernand's head stirred, his eyes opening slowly. everything was blurry...and it was dark. but it couldn't be night.

his back felt...hot. his eyes now opened fully, and he could hear the crackle of a fire behind him.

wait a minute-- close. close to a fire. danger! he had to get away...but when he tried to stand, he was brought back down. looking down at his arms...chains?

"are you finally awake now?"

that voice..  
the sound of footsteps in front of him...he looked up. berkut stood in front of him, his face contorted in slight anger.

"l-lord berkut...? what's-"

"i gave you many things, fernand. i treated you well, fully knowing the pain you've been through. but you just had to go and betray me, didn't you?"

he glared at the knight, who's eyes widened.

"...what do you mean?"

"you think i wouldn't find out about your little venture sooner or later? you left rigel. i know you did."

...how did he find out?! the knight's body filled with both fear and confusion.

"n-no i didn't! i-"

"don't you _dare_ try and lie to me. i was well informed of your trip."

* * *

_for a country ever so slowly withering away, he had to admit zofia still had some beauty in it._

_the only sound in the woods were a gentle clopping of his horse's hooves against the ground. berkut enjoyed the peace, it was-_

_there was a rustle in the bushes. his head whipped around immediately.  
_ _"who goes there?!"_

_he readied his lance at the rustling bushes. his assumptions were correct, as a blue-clad figure exited the leafy obstacle, a yawn leaving him. his lance was immediately at the man's throat._

_"woah, hey! last i recalled, fighting someone without a weapon isn't considered fair."_

_he recognized that voice._

_"you...you're with the deliverance, aren't you?"  
_

_"yeah. and i'd like to get back there alive. so if you'll excuse me.."_

_the archer started walking in the opposite direction. berkut sighed, readying his horse to take off again.  
_

_"oh, and before i forget.."_

_the prince turned his head back to the man.  
"what now?"_

_"your vassal...he decided to pay us a visit."_

_"what?!"  
his head whipped around hearing that._

_"you heard me. it was for a couple days too. surprisingly, i never found out the reason. but he did gravitate towards clive more than anyone else."  
_

_berkut was silent. the archer continued._

_"i heard a few things just walking around...a bunch of 'i miss you's and 'im sorry's. there were even some...well.."  
he winked at the prince. berkut got the idea a moment later. his hands quivered around his weapon._

_"...thank you for the information."  
and as soon as that sentence left him, he sped off. his vassal was in for a world of trouble._

_"sheesh.."_

* * *

"b-but i'm not lying! i didn't go anywhere!"

"i have an entire explanation from someone looping through my head as we speak! do you wish to keep lying? it will not end up good for you!"

the prince's anger was obvious. fernand paused, then sighed. his head lowered.

"...yes. okay, fine. i...did leave rigel for a short period of time."

"and what did you do?"

the sound of the prince's foot tapping against the stone floor was barely audible to him over the roaring sounds of the fire.

"i...i visited the deliverance and where they were hiding out. i wanted-"

"stop."

his head raised again.

"i already know that part. you went to see clive."

fernand stayed silent in shame. berkut scoffed.

"ridiculous...even after all this time, i still can't trust you."

"i'm sorry."

"you're not sorry! otherwise, you wouldn't have done it!"

an annoyed sigh left the prince.

"enough. i've had enough. clearly i cannot trust you on your own anymore, and i refuse to treat you like a child. i think i need someone to watch you.."

the knight's eyes opened, staring at the prince.

"..what?"

"do you know where we are right now, fernand?"

as if on cue, he looked around. it seemed dark, save for the glow of the fire he knew was behind him. there were pillars, and it smelled oddly of blood.

"..no, i don't."

"we are in duma's altar. and do you know why we are down here?"

"w-we're--"

"because the only person who could keep such an eye on you is someone with impressive power."

fernand's eyes went wide, and his body shook with fear.

"w-wait, no! my lord, pray forgive me! i-"

"you can stop your begging this instant. i already made an agreement with him."

already made an agreement...but didn't berkut hate the faithful?!

"it is time, duma! your sacrifice stands in front of me! do with him what you will!"

* * *

**the fire blazed stronger behind him.**

**a glowing surface under the stone his legs rested on. he began to struggle in the chains he was bound to, to no avail.**

**duma's insignia. it was so clearly obvious.**

**within moments, fernand's body felt hot. it burned. it HURT-!**

**it felt like needles were piercing his veins. it felt like tight strings tied around his heart. his lungs felt like they were burning. what was this--?!**

**berkut found himself smirking at the scream that ripped from fernand's throat.**

**he kept screaming. it felt like the pain lasted hours.**

**...**

**it wasn't long until he lost consciousness.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hold on i thought i would never touch this again but then i got a really kind comment and now im all soft. here's more from this

**...everything was so dark.**

fernand woke slowly. what...happened?

he was in his own quarters, laying on his bed. stripped of his armor, which was set on its stand in the corner. wasn't he wearing his armor before he fell asleep..?

he sat up a bit too quickly, feeling dizzy. he stood up to look in his vanity mirror- his vision was blurry and it was hard for him to walk. it was only just a few steps, so why did he feel so sick by just that..?

he rubbed his eyes, his hand meeting the vanity desk, and looked up into the mirror--

* * *

_the prince stood in front of the body of his vessel. a wicked smile dressed his face._

_"perhaps this will teach you your place."_

_his time was running short. he needed to resurface before someone found him._

_quickly moving over to the knight, he was able to break the chains with his bare hands- the heat had melted them so much, they were nothing more than scraps in his hands._

_but he had to quickly tear his hands from the knight's body. he was far too hot to the touch. he gently lifted his head._

_fernand's eyes were closed, and the residue of tears remained on his cheeks. however...there was something sticking out of his mouth. berkut's thumb lifted his top lip, slightly, and he gasped to himself at the sight._

_the knight was growing fangs._

* * *

his back hit the wall, eyes widened and breathing heavily..

..what in mila's name?!

his hands flew to his mouth, thumbing the fangs that sat in the top row of his teeth. where did these come from?!

and he looked at his reflection once more, noticing his ears. his eyes. how they magically stuck out from the rest of his body.

his ears were now pointed- almost resembling that of the ears the gods were envisioned having. they stuck out jarringly from behind his white hair.

and his eyes. his eyes had gone from a warm amber to a striking red. his pupils were thin slivers of black, almost resembling that of a reptile's.

**"you finally woke up."**

a voice echoed in his head. a deep voice. one that would strike fear in anyone.

"w-who are--?!"

**"silence. this is the punishment your lord gave you."**

his lord..?

wait. it was all coming back to him. waking up in duma's altar, facing the prince in his rage, being chained to the ground and...having an unknown entity take over his body. so this voice could only be...

**"do you finally understand?"**

yes. yes, he did understand. his eyes went from widened with fear to teary-eyed with regret.

his body slid down and slumped against the wall, his tears flowing freely down his cheeks. had this all happened to him because he decided that visiting an old friend would be best? what if he had stayed in rigel? what if he had kept himself hidden?

he buried his face in his hands as he sobbed.

**"cry all you desire. but weakness will not help you."**

* * *

_and outside the door to the knight's quarters, a prince could be heard humming to himself._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk if this is gonna be short or not but im writing this at like 3am lmao


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